Cord-terminal.



A. E. FRANCIS.

' com: TERM-mm.

APPLICATION FILED AUGQH. 19H.

1,266,1 14, Patented May 14,1918.

ARTHUR E. FRANCIS, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

CORD-TERMINAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 14, 1918.

Application filed August 17, 1817. Serial No. 186,780.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ARTHUR E. FaAnois, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cord-Termlnals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to cord terminals or connectors adapted for connecting conductors, and especially useful for connecting wires with spark plugs of internal combustion engines. f

The object of the invention is to provide an improved device which can be used with a plug wire of any size, and which can be attached or detached very quickly.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation showlng the device attached to a spark plug. Fig. 2 is a front elevation.

Fig. 3 is a top plan.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line ie-4 of The main part or body of the connector may be made of a single piece of sheet metal. It comprises the upper arm 6, at the outer end of which is a socket 7 formed to receive the end of the cord 8. This socket is made by bending two flaps or sides to circular form with the ends lapped, and bein made of ductile metal, these flaps can be ent in or out to make the socket larger or smaller, to receive a cord of any size, and can then be clamped upon the cord with a pairof pliers orthe like. At the inner end of the socket the metal is bent down or shaped to Fig. 1.

. produce an end wall 9 in which is a slot 10 which permits the passage of the uncovered wire 11 which is soldered or otherwise secured between bosses l2 struck up and down in the metal of the arm, providing openings in which the end of the wire 11 may be hooked or engaged.

At its inner end the arm 6 is provided with a pair of .fingers 13 which are connected to the arm by a bowed or curved spring portion 14., the fingers extending downwardly or at a right angle to the arm 6. These fingers are semi-circular in cross section, and at their lower ends are bent up as indicated at 15 to strengthen said ends, and threaded as indicated at 16 to grip the projecting wire or post 17 of the spark plug 18, which wire or post is usually threaded, although the fingers will grip any type of post.

The fingers 13 tend to spread, in consequence of the spring 14, but they may be pressed together by means of a slide collar 19 which encircles them. This collar 19 has projecting ears 20 to be grasped by the fingers so that it ma be readily slid up or down, and it is normally pressed down or toward the ends of the fingers 13 by a spring 21 coiled around the fingers between the collar and the spring part 14.

In the use of the device, the arm 6 may be grasped by the hand and by en aging two fingers under the ears 20 the co lar 19 is slid up or retracted, and the lower ends of the fingers 13 will then spring apart, permitting the stud 17 to be entered between the ends of the fingers 13 to make the connection, or to be released therefrom to break the same. When the stud 17 is entered between the ends of the fingers 13 the collar 19 is released, and the spring 21 will then snap the collar down and contract or clamp the fingers 13 upon the stud or wire of the spark plug, and hold the same in connection. It is obvious that the terminal may be very quickly connected or disconnected without the 'use of tools, and without binding nuts or other loose parts which may be lost.

I claim: l. A cord terminal comprising a sheet metal blank bent to form an arm adapted for attachment to the cord, and also to form a plurality of opposed longitudinally concave fingers projecting at an angle from said arm and a spring connection between the ends of the fingers and the arm, tending to spread the fingers, and-a collar slidable on the fingers, to clamp a conductor therebetween.

2. A cord terminal comprising a sheet metal blank bent to form an arm adapted for attachment to the cord, a pair of 0pposed longitudinally concave fingers projecting at an angle from said arm and an 5 arched spring connecting the inner ends of the fingers and the arm and tending to spread the fingers, a collar sliclable along the fingers, to contract the same, and a spring coiled aronnrl the fingers between said collar and the spring.

In testimony whereof, 1 (lo allix my signature 1n presence of two \vltnesses.

ARTHUR E. FRANCIS. Witnesses: V 7' JOHN A. BOMMHARDT,

E. C. FORBES. 

